diff --git a/src/main/java/com/firstdata/payeezy/client/PayeezyClient.java b/src/main/java/com/firstdata/payeezy/client/PayeezyClient.java
index e041458..141a1a4 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/firstdata/payeezy/client/PayeezyClient.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/firstdata/payeezy/client/PayeezyClient.java
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ public PayeezyResponse execute(String URL, RequestMethod method, PayeezyRequestO
     protected PayeezyResponse executePostRequest(String uri, String payload, PayeezyRequestOptions requestOptions) throws Exception{
         HttpClient httpClient = payeezyHttpClient.getHttpClient();
         HttpPost httpPost =  createPostConnection(uri,payload,requestOptions);
-        StringEntity entity = new StringEntity(payload);
+        StringEntity entity = new StringEntity(payload, "UTF-8");
         httpPost.setEntity(entity);
         // Create a custom response handler
         ResponseHandler<PayeezyResponse> responseHandler = new ResponseHandler<PayeezyResponse>() {
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ public PayeezyResponse handleResponse(final HttpResponse response) throws IOExce
     protected PayeezyResponse executePutRequest(String uri, String payload, PayeezyRequestOptions requestOptions) throws Exception{
         HttpClient httpClient = payeezyHttpClient.getHttpClient();
         HttpPut httpPost = createPutConnection(uri,payload,requestOptions);
-        StringEntity entity = new StringEntity(payload);
+        StringEntity entity = new StringEntity(payload, "UTF-8");
         httpPost.setEntity(entity);
         // Create a custom response handler
         ResponseHandler<PayeezyResponse> responseHandler = new ResponseHandler<PayeezyResponse>() {